Hey guys! We made the list! We made it! I know some people said we couldn't do four years straight, but we did it!
Ok, ok. I'll stop with the goofing, but seriuosly, who isn't a little giddy at the fact that we've annoyed U.S. privacy policy makers enough to add us to its “priority watch list.” We once again join the ranks of Russia, China, Chile and the Ukraine, the worst offenders in failing to prevent copyright theft.
Luckily, for both the states and Canada, that list doesn't really mean anything. It's an attempt to shame countries into following copyright practices and enforcement set in the U.S. No sanctions are attached so it's really just business as usual.
For an example, Russia has made the list for a record 16 years in a row and it's had seemingly little effect on its financial standing or reaction to piracy.
According to the U.S. Trade Representative – via the FP Tech Desk entry – this years figures are…significant.
“This year’s Special 301 Report is more significant than ever in light of recent U.S. Government data showing that IP-intensive industries support as many as 40 million American jobs and up to 60% of U.S. exports,” U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk said in a statement.
What we should do with this information, aside from ignoring some of the key issues that keep pushing piracy forward – like digital locks and outdated piracy laws – is not clearly stated but at least we're on a list!
Then again, maybe Bill C-11 was in part a reaction to our condemnation.
JD
Original article: Canada lands on U.S. ‘priority watch list’ for copyright piracy for fourth year (FP Tech Desk)